Is he talking about the disposable masks?

I wear the typical blue paper mask doctors and nurses are seen wearing. Although they now come in black. I've seen them in pink as well, not sure where anyone is buying those.

I have half a dozen cloth masks because when this pandemic hit nobody could seem to get paper masks to save their lives and cloth is all my store had. I find them very difficult to work with (my job is very phyical) and the paper mask I can "poof" out so it doesn't feel like I'm going to eat it every time I inhale.

Sal - The problem with KN95’s is that they come from the land of counterfeits, so you need to be really careful of manufacturer and source if you want one approved by our government as N95 equivalent. That said, most masks people are wearing are little more than spit shields, so even a well-fitting knockoff should be more effective than that.

I typically wear the cheap blue ones, understanding that they’re designed to protect others, not me. Fortunately I live in an area where everyone wears masks, so we’re protecting each other and it seems to be working.

Different masks for different circumstances! We're retired and follow common sense guidelines to minimize risk of of catching and/or spreading. We wear home-made cloth masks, two layers of cotton, elastic loops around the ears. They fit close to the face and we can breathe through them without straining. If we had to be out in the general community longer than a few minutes at a time, or more often, I might well upgrade to more layers.

foodonastump, I work retail and see people wearing what used to be a white N95 mask that is now a grey/black N95 mask. People are on the assumption that they can wear them for weeks on end. I don't think I would put a potential covid covered mask back on my face no matter what science says. One time use blue ones (as in the photo I showed) or a cloth one that is washed daily is all I would wear.

I wear white all cotton masks that are washed daily. I had been using the paper disposable ones but they made my lips irritated and the paper fiber ticked my nose.

I have a couple of masks made by a neighbor, she used cotton quilting fabric, pleated, 2 layers with a pocket for a filter and a metal strip at the nose. Easy to wash and dry.

I just bought a couple of new masks from the store (except made, of course, in China) because while I was looking at them another customer walked by in one and raved about them. It was different to get used to at first, after the cotton, but now I am finding it comfortable. At least I can wash three masks and still have one ready to wear.

We have a pack of blue disposable masks we keep in the glove compartment in the car for emergencies (as in, dang it, my mask is on the drying rack at home!) and they are comfortable, too.

Omigosh, it‘s getting to be like buying undies!

what he was getting at is that everyone should be wearing the correct masks to fight this virus and they should become available to everyone.

I wear only cloth masks with ties. I can't stand the ones that go around my ears. Mine were given to me.

The other day at my dentist, a young man in the waiting room had a colourful one with chickens all over it. Cute as heck, and I told him so.

The dentist came in to check my teeth and I told him that the pink really suited him! He said the latest cases they received were all pink or purple masks, and he doesn't care what colour they are. But he says the little kids seem more receptive to the bright colours and talk to him easily.

I have a narrow face (or my ears are far forward on my head) and surgical masks are too big. I found a double layer cloth mask with a nose pinch and that fits under the chin which fits. That's what I;m wearing.

I wear my mask many times and it's clean. I don't touch the mask when I take it off and hang it in the car--probably go at least 4 days until I wear it again. I am thinking anything I may have on it will be gone??

Cotton fitted two layers with a filter. I also have a clear face shield over my mask for crowded areas. Some people like to pop up beside you with no mask. And breathe right in your air.

We use INTCO surgical / procedure face masks, I don’t think they are the right ones since the sides aren’t tight closed. I bought a case of 2,000 for cleaning and gardening use before Covid spread, we have some rentals, and I am a rose gardener taking care of over 1,000 roses, I wear one when spraying roses or cleaning. I am super allergic to dust.

I have a growing collection of homemade Olson pattern cloth masks. They fit closely to the face and have a nosewire to keep them snug. They’re two thicknesses of close weave cotton with a pocket for a filter, which I always use. I have them in many fabrics including black gothic skulls and roses for Halloween. I’m embarking on a set of Christmas ones soon. They're washed after every use, as are the filters, air dried and ironed. Who wants a used mask stuck back on their face even if it hasn’t acquired any Covid? There are still all the ‘normal’ viruses and bacteria around.

I really don't like using disposable masks because of the environmental impact of all that waste. They’re already washing up on our beaches and littering out streets.

Floral, my husband tries to wear a mask on the bike path, but he says it is littered with discarded masks! I see them in parking lots, too, and they blow into the plantings in the islands. Ugh.

I ordered some cotton masks on Etsy -- they are double layered with a pocket for a filter and I put in a piece of paper towel or coffee filter. I did order some advertised filters but they are a nuisance because only possibly reusable if you bake them. When I go into a store I wear the cotton mask AND a plastic face shield that I also ordered on Etsy.

Masks for the holidays :o)

holiday masks

I wear surgical masks and wear them more than once, but Aetna my insurance company, sent nice cloth ones which fit me well so I've been using them and washing them after two uses. I only wear them twice a week when I shop and then they lay in the sunlight on the dashboard of the car for days between.

If you're wearing disposable ones, please be sure to cut off the ear loops before throwing them away. I have seen several photos of wild life tangled up in those loops.

A big issue with the N95 are the fit. Hospitals have trained fitters to be sure personal are wearing them properly. Don't be lulled into false security if you have never been trained to wear one. The rest of this thread is all in the world of 'unknown' /anecdotal, as we live through this. Everyday we learn more about this virus how it spreads or does not spread.

Halyard procedure masks.

I'm wary of the cloth ones. A lot of the homemade ones are not made out of close weave fabric (the ones that I was gifted.) The fabrics generally available to us these days is no where near the quality of the fabrics that I grew up sewing with.

According to a UK survey, some of the ready made fabric masks were close to worthless, filtering as little as 7% of particles. (single layer, stretchy fabric)

Interesting takeaway is that many of cloth masks they tested performed best after having been washed multiple times (5X).

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/10/which-face-mask-tests-reveal-huge-differences-in-filtration/

Given how many healthcare workers are contracting coronavirus, I don't have a whole lot of faith in my procedure masks, either. OTOH, I have limited exposure so have to trust them to function for my needs. Mask + avoid touching doors/ handrails, hand washing, no eye rubbing...

The three layer masks are currently considered the best and easiest to find for the general public. If you worry about what type to wear double or triple up depending on what you normally wear. My opinion is that a thin fabric one needs additional layer added as more of the population could be carriers. When I went to vote I wore one of those firm hardware masks that keep small particles out with a two layer cloth mask over it. You may still have the virus but I look at the masks as a method to lower the amount of virus received each time I go out. Once in the body a small amount can still harm or kill you as it grows but I want to give my body a chance to heal itself where a larger amount might not allow this.

I have two-layer cloth masks with a pocket for a filter, which I use, and a nose wire. They are large enough to right below my nose and under my chin. I also found some non-prescription reader-type glasses that have clear glass on top with a magnifier on the bottom. I need readers when I shop to read dates and labels, but I can't wear them to walk, so I needed a solution that solved the constant removal and replacement cycle. This way, I can put the glasses on in the car, then remove and clean them when I get back in the car.

Fun2BHere I hope what you wrote about the mask being large enough to fit right below your nose is wrong. Your nose wire sounds like it fits up over your nose but that contradicts your later sentence.

A bandana style that works like a gaiter and some regular cotton bandanas. I am not wearing one in any belief it offers much protection. I wear "face coverings" where it's mandated. Where I get my hair done they give out those blue disposables. Pretty useless as they keep popping off as hair is worked on but rules are rules.

I also launder my face coverings after each wearing. To reuse one would be like wearing the same underwear for days. I see people pulling them out of purses, pockets (someone should do a study of the cooties in those) and tossed on car seats etc. Guess basic hygiene goes out the window as long as the mask is worn. LOL

I do wash mine after each use -- hot soapy water does it. I have about 5 different ones. They dry overnight. I would say it's a bad idea to wear it more than once.

I was watching some Dr Chris episodes; a veterinarian in Australia.

I took particular notice of the way the team had their masks tied. It looked very efficient and I'm going to try it.

The top tie went pretty much straight behind the head, the bottom tie tied up at the top, so the ties were crossed. It fit snugly under their chins.

Mine mask cover my face fully but I like the way these were tied, instead of the bottom one around my neck the the top one across the top of my head.

When I must wear one I have some single layer ones I made from the dollar tree scarfs. I just got done cutting out some Christmas ones for my daughter, 2 grands and me. I got little bells to sew on the grands mask. Hopefully, I will have time next weekend when I'm home to sew them. I hope this is the last holiday I have to make masks for.

ci-lantro, do you have Halyard brand face masks too? I just bought 550/11 boxes Halyard procedure masks. They are 3 ply face masks in yellow color not blue. They have different levels, I think the type I have is level 1.

wildchild, that’s a lot of work to wash cloth face masks after each use. Give you a lot of credit.

It isn't hard to wash them after each use -- no scrub board necessary -- the strategy is to have more than one. When I come in the door I take it off and throw it right in the bathroom sink. My water runs very hot. Let it soak in detergent. After awhile just run the hot water to rinse it well and hang up.

So, if you go to Target and wear your mask, then return to the car, take off the mask, and drive to the post office, then return to the car, take off the mask, and go to the grocery store, you should put on a different mask each time?

bpath = n Not really. I guess it depends on how much you touch it and how close you got to others etc. If I am running errands I just drop it down rather than removing it completely. But if I do have to take it off I make sure it goes back into a open baggie (for air) with the outside folded in. While I don't over worry about catching Covid I have always been conscious about cross contamination via objects. I observe all sorts of things I would never do from people taking off their shoes with their hands on the soles, putting them back on never even thinking to wash their hands before doing something else. I see women putting purses and shopping bags on bathroom floors and thinking nothing of placing them on tables to having children seat in the food portion of the grocery cart. Same reasons I loath bring your own reusable bag policies. Stuff like that. I always carry spare face covering just in case I need to change one for any reason. Learned that lesson after I had to go home after getting sprayed in the face when entering a store with an overzealous customer using a spray bottle of sanitizer.

Since I only wear a mask indoors when I absolutely have to I can usually plan my day around them. But whether I wore it for 20 minutes or for several hours, it gets washed before I wear it again.

Why do I have edit and resubmit my posts to end the double spacing?

My reading makes me think hand washing is inadequate. Masks can go in the machine with other laundry but need a temperature of minimum 60c/140f.

KN95

Wildchild, to not double space, don't put any space between the lines. It automatically does it for you.

People laugh at seeing a lone person driving a car wearing a mask. They don't realize that they (at least I do) when I put it on, I leave it one if I'm going to another store. I'm not touching it/ taking it on and off every time I leave a store.

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

My reading makes me think hand washing is inadequate. Masks can go in the machine with other laundry but need a temperature of minimum 60c/140f.

~~~

I've wondered about that. I didn't measure my water temperature but my hot water is set to very hot too hot when I let it run -- I would think soaking time? I guess I should do some more research.

Think about what you are supposed to do when washing your hands. The most important difference is not the heat of the water but the rinsing of your hands after washing. In the laundry it takes a while and little is known at what temperature if any the virus will die. The idea is to cause it to release from the material so it can be removed.

Summersrythum--Yes, Halyard Level 1 procedure masks. Mine are blue though. Bought them so everyone in family could use--blue seemed like a unisex color & my favorite color of the options. Seems like they were available in yellow & pink--maybe cutesy print for personnel working w/ pediatric patients? Not sure--bought them back in Feb-March.

Mine are fabric,3 layer, and seasonal. My sister makes them. Right now, as I am sitting waiting for my takeout order at the local Mexican place,I am wearing my "gobble til ya wobble " turkey mask.

Thanks cl_lantro. Halyard procedure masks are selling 500 masks for $94 on Amazon now. What a good deal!

I usually wear the disposable masks. I have a partial box in the car in a zip lock bag along with some disposable gloves. We also have a few N95’s and I have some very good fabric masks that fit me well with adjustable ear pieces I ordered from The Sak (yes, the handbag company).

They had sent me a free one, and I liked it so much I ordered more and gave a couple to my DD. My face is narrow and my head is small so it is nice to find something that fits my nose bridge well without nearly covering my eyes, even after adjusting the metal band. I always have to adjust the ear pieces by tying another knot but these have an adjustable slide on the ear piece.

These tips might help someone:

https://www.nebraskamed.com/COVID/13-mask-hacks-to-make-your-mask-fit-better

OutsidePlaying

I usually wear the disposable masks. I have a partial box in the car in a zip lock bag along with some disposable gloves. We also have a few N95’s and I have some very good fabric masks that fit me well with adjustable ear pieces I ordered from The Sak (yes, the handbag company).

They had sent me a free one, and I liked it so much I ordered more and gave a couple to my DD. My face is narrow and my head is small so it is nice to find something that fits my nose bridge well without nearly covering my eyes, even after adjusting the metal band. I always have to adjust the ear pieces by tying another knot but these have an adjustable slide on the ear piece.

~~~~

Hi OutsidePlaying -- I looked up The Sak masks -- and the care instructions say, "Machine wash, gentle cycle, cold water." (!!!)

I don't get it. Here I am checking the water temperature for my mask washing -- it's supposed to be HOT -- and they are telling you to wash in cold water! What's the point of that?

I've washed my own masks 100 and more times in very hot water and they are still fine.

Cotton shrinks in hot water. Maybe that's why.......

I haven't been out of the house since January. Daughter is afraid of losing me. I definitely fall into to most acceptable category, as I am old, have copd and on oxygen 24/7. I admit I am a bit paranoid myself. Although I sometimes feel like a prisoner.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086KWC9M8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have these and floral ones I bought also. Very comfortable around the ears, thicker than those with skinny elastic. I got some for my daughter too, and bought some black ones for my son who is in the Air Force and can only wear black.

I have enough that I can throw them in the dirty clothes hamper after one day's use and have a clean one waiting for me for the next day.

I know they aren't 100% effective but it will cut down on the viral load I get if someone is sick around me. They're pretty thick. Lot of coughers at work including me. I think it is the air in the basement. We are all fine while at home but then come into work and it starts. I'm wearing my mask at work now.

I've signed up to get the vaccine through work. Our manager came down yesterday and said she thinks it may be available by the end of the year. I'm not so sure about that.

summersrhythm_z6a

Cotton shrinks in hot water. Maybe that's why.......

~~~

Sure, that might be the reason -- but if they are selling the masks as protection then there is a cognitive divide somewhere, isn't there?

My masks are cotton and have been washed dozens and dozens of times. And after this conversation I've started using boiling water from the kettle to be extra sure.

The shrinking stops at some point and thus the weave is closer and safer.

The masks are not a fashion item.

Outside Playing -- do you wash in hot water?

My home made cotton masks have also been washed many times and haven’t shrunk. They’re washed in the machine at 60c/140f with detergent.

This is one of my Halloween ones.